Occupy readies for third night of Santa Ana protest

SANTA ANA – Occupy Santa Ana members slept overnight at the Civic Center for a second night in their bid to bring attention to the plight of the homeless.

Massimo Marini, an organizer, said that about nine activists were joined by about 11 homeless people Wednesday night. Some slept through the night, while others kept watch.

The group roused about 5:45 a.m. Thursday and cleared out of an area they call "Necessity Village" around 6:15 a.m.

The group had set up 10 mats on a large blue tarp Tuesday night, when about 15 Occupy members spent the night. They plan to bring more to their site off Ross Street Thursday night.

One police officer drove by around 1 a.m., shined a light on the group and said hello.

"That's how they should police the Civic Center," he said. "Police understanding that people are going to sleep there and keeping them safe. Our whole point is to keep people safe."

Cpl. Anthony Bertagna, police spokesman, said that officers are monitoring the group to make sure no laws are broken in their exercise of free speech.

With several homeless people staying with the group, the organizers said they had a chance to learn more about the issues the poor face.

"Lack of a bathroom is seriously a problem," Marini said. Homeless advocates say that a restroom is made available to homeless people in an empty bus terminal in the Civic Center, but that it doesn't stay open overnight.

Organizers said their aim was to highlight the lack of emergency shelter for the homeless in Orange County, and to seek an end to ticketing of homeless people who bed down for the night in Santa Ana and other cities in Orange County in violation of anti-camping ordinances. They plan to sleep in the Civic Center seven consecutive nights.